Skeabrae
SKAEBRAE: RAF aerodrome in WW2, later Royal Naval Air Station (1948 Books of HMS FULMAR)
Note: This picture was obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: WW2: RAF Fighter Command 13 Group
331 (Norwegian) & 611 (West Lancashire) Sqdns (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
Note: The amount of squadrons who had detachments to SKAEBRAE was, it seems, possibly without equal?
They saw detachments from 3, 253 and 331 Sqdns with Hawker Hurricanes. 331 Squadron later returned with Spitfires.
When it comes to Spitfires in various marques, it appears that: 66, 118, 129, 132, 164, 234, 312, 313 and 329 (Free French) Squadrons all had a presence here. As did 414 (RCAF) and both 451 and 453 (RAAF) Squadrons. Also 602, 603 and 611 Squadrons.
AN EXCEPTION
598 Squadron was an exception as they were employed on Anti-Aircraft Co-operation duties with the Army. It appears they operated Airspeed Oxfords, Bristol Beaufighters, Hawker Hurricanes, Miles Martinets and Westland Lysanders, but I have no idea which of these types they flew from here.
No.1476 (Advanced Ship Recognition) Flight
No. 1491 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight
No. 1841 Squadron (It now appears possible that this was a Fleet Air Arm squadron flying the Chance-Vought F4U Corsair). Can this be confirmed?
FLEET AIR ARM
I might well be mistaken, but it seems the Fleet Air Arm were also here from 1940 at least? With some help from Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', it now appears that the Station did open in 1940 as an RNAS base, but was quickly handed over to the RAF. Accounts vary as to when this happened. The same applies to the end of the war period and after.
It appears that 801 Squadron were probably flying Hawker Sea Furys here after WW2? But, 804 Squadron were flying Miles Martlets here in 1940. The history of 841 Squadron seems rather minimal (in 2016) but I would guess they had a presence here flying the Fairey Albacore?
It also appears that 880 Squadron had a presence here, but I cannot trace a record of the aircraft they flew. The same seems to apply to 881 Squadron, except it appears possible they flew Grumman Martlets here? 882 and 884 Squadrons are claimed to also have made a presence here, but again I cannot find more information. Can anybody help?
Regarding 887 Squadron it can be assumed they were flying Fairey Fulmers when operating here? But did they convert to Vickers-Supermarine Seafires here before being posted abroad? In a similar vein I cannot find anything relating to 894 Squadron who are also reported to have operated here. Once again, can anybody assist?
Location: N to NW of the B9057, 11nm NW of KIRKWALL
Period of operation: 1940 to 1945 (RAF)
Runways: 02/20 914x46 hard 15/33 914x46 hard
11/29 914x46 hard 06/24 914x46 hard
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: This fourth item of a Grumman F4F Martlett Mk.1, on its nose, is from Fleet Air Arm in Camera by Roger Hayward.
Note: The fifth item, a photo of the Control Tower and Met. Office Block, c.1983, is courtesy of the Orkney Image Library. The sixth and seventh items are from Spitfire Survivors by Gordon Riley and Graham Trant.
Note: The tenth item, from Google Street View © shows the remains of the WW2 NAAFI cinema, alongside the A967. The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES:
In March 2023 I was kindly contacted by Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', who told me there was a video available on You Tube. Although ostensibly disused, the video shows an aircraft taking off from SKEABRAE then circling around to film the location. Hopefully this video will remain posted, and you can watch it at: https://youtu.be/59dAnhdEqSw
Here again I really must ask a question which crops up quite often. In late 1944 at this aerodrome 1610 RAF personnel were on station plus 174 WAAFs according to official records. But why were they here in such numbers and what on earth were they supposed to be defending? Germany surrendered in May 1945 so it was pretty obvious to everybody in authority to say the least that in late 1944 the war was coming to an end in Europe. So why were so many RAF personnel stationed here rather than being employed closer to the ‘front’ to enable swifter closure of the war effort?
Ludek
This comment was written on: 2018-03-19 17:03:15Regarding the notes: as far as I know, one of the main purposes of the RAF Skeabrae during the wartime was to rest regular fighter squadrons, enabling them to be completed and moved back to London and Channel area. Therefore, many squadrons rotated on the airfield for 3 months periods. Another big role was to defend FAA berth at Scapa Flow, mainly against reconnaissance flights from Norway, as Germany had no capability to carry out real aerial strike in this area. I found this when digging internet for more information about Spitfire Mk.VII serial MD114, wearing codes DU-G, which is visible on wartime photos of RAF Skeabrae. The code indicated No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF - which never used Mk.VII officially. Furthermore, on this airplane, Lt. Ian Blair, member of No. 602 squadron, shoot down German Bf-109, while in the meantime, after departure of No. 312 squadron (09/1943) and before arrival of No. 602 squadron (01/1944), this plane, being part of so called Station Flight, has been most likely operated also by pilots of No. 611 squadron RAF. Unknown remains, why codes of No. 312 squadron have been introduced on the airplane and why they were not replaced by codes of No. 611 squadron (FY), neither No. 602 squadron (LO).
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